In June, SEPTA launched a pilot program offering riders 24-hour weekend service on the Broad Street and Market Frankford Lines. The initiative was aimed at accommodating the demand for subway service among late night riders on Fridays and Saturdays.
Now, due to its overwhelming popularity, SEPTA announced that they are extending the weekend overnight service indefinitely.
“Late night customers have proven, by riding in record numbers each weekend that this is service they want,” says SEPTA General Manager Joseph M. Casey. “SEPTA is proud to be part of Philadelphia’s late night renaissance. That’s why even with the increased costs we have decided to continue overnight service.”
The pilot program showed that an average of 15,000 riders each weekend boarded the trains between midnight and 5:00 a.m. – representing a significant increase over the baseline average of 9,000 travelers who previously used the weekend Broad Street and Market-Frankford Lines “Nite Owl” service operated with buses.
In addition to ridership, passenger safety was also evaluated during the pilot. With a proactive increase in SEPTA Police presence on overnight trains, safety issues have been minimal.
For additional information on the service, visit http://www.septa.org/service/all-night.html.
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